1 Vaadake, missuguse armastuse Isa on meile andnud, et meid hüütakse Jumala lasteks! Ja seda me olemegi. Sellepärast maailm ei tunne meid, sest ta ei tunne Teda.

2 Armsad, me oleme nüüd Jumala lapsed ega ole veel saanud avalikuks, mis me tulevikus oleme; aga me teame, et me Tema ilmudes oleme Tema sarnased, sest me näeme siis Teda nagu Tema on.

3 Ja igaüks, kellel on niisugune lootus Tema peale, puhastab ennast, nõnda nagu Temagi on puhas.

4 Igaüks, kes pattu teeb, teeb ka seda, mis on käsu vastu; ja patt on see, mis on käsu vastu.

5 Ja te teate, et Tema on ilmunud patte ära võtma; ja Temas ei ole pattu.

6 Ükski, kes jääb Tema sisse, ei tee pattu; ükski, kes pattu teeb, ei ole teda näinud ega Teda tundnud.

7 Lapsukesed, ärgu ükski teid eksitagu! Kes teeb õigust, see on õige, nõnda nagu Temagi on õige.

8 Kes pattu teeb, see on kuradist; sest kurat teeb pattu algusest saadik. Selleks on Jumala Poeg ilmunud, et Ta tühistaks kuradi teod.

9 Ükski, kes on Jumalast sündinud, ei tee pattu, sest tema seeme püsib Temas ja ta ei või pattu teha, sellepärast et ta on Jumalast sündinud.

10 Sellest ilmneb, kummad on Jumala lapsed ja kummad kuradi lapsed. Ükski, kes ei tee õigust, ei ole Jumalast, ega see, kes ei armasta oma venda.

11 Sest see on sõnum, mida te algusest saadik olete kuulnud, et me peame üksteist armastama;

12 mitte nõnda, nagu Kain, kes oli tigedast ja tappis oma venna. Ja mispärast ta tappis tema? Sellepärast et tema teod olid kurjad ja tema venna teod õiged.

13 Ärge pange imeks, vennad, kui maailm teid vihkab!

14 Me teame, et oleme tulnud surmast elusse, sest me armastame vendi; kes venda ei armasta, see jääb surmasse.

15 Igaüks, kes vihkab oma venda, on inimesetapja; ja te teate, et ühelgi inimesetapjal ei ole igavest elu, mis temasse jääks.

16 Sellest me oleme ära tundnud Jumala armastuse, et Tema Oma elu on jätnud meie eest; ja meiegi peame jätma elu vendade eest.

17 Kui nüüd kellelgi on selle maailma vara ja ta näeb oma venna puuduses olevat ja suleb oma südame tema eest, kuidas saab Jumala armastus jääda temasse?

18 Lapsukesed, ärgem armastagem sõnaga ega keelega, vaid teoga ja tõega!

19 Sellest me tunneme, et oleme tõe seest ja võime vaigistada tema ees oma südant,

20 et kui meie süda meid hukka mõistab, Jumal on suurem kui meie süda ja teab kõik.

21 Armsad, kui meie süda meid hukka ei mõista, on meil julgus Jumala ees,

22 ja mida me iganes palume, seda me saame Temalt, sest me peame Tema käske ja teeme, mis on Temale meelepärast.

23 Ja see on Tema käsk, et me peame uskuma Tema Poja Jeesuse Kristuse nimesse ja armastama üksteist, nagu Tema meile on käsu andnud.

24 Ja kes peab Tema käske, see jääb Temasse ja Tema sellesse. Ja sellest me tunneme, et Tema jääb meisse, sellest Vaimust, Kelle Ta meile on andnud.

1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. 3 And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him. 7 My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: 8 he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: 12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth. 19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: 20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.